Improvement in power-gear presses



' more fully explained.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PO WER-G EAR PRES$ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24.585. dated JunelZS,i859.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM SKENE and ROBERT SKENE, both of Louisville,in the county of Jefferson and State of .Kentucky, have invented a newand Improved Progressive Power-Gear Press; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which# Figure l represents a longitudinal verticalsection of our invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in arranging a windlass and a scroll or fusee incombination with a series of gear-wheels and pinions, and with a racktoothed on both sides in such a manner that, by means of a weightsuspended from a rope which extends from the windlass to the scroll, aprogressive power is exerted on a fol lower which is attached to thelower endl of the rack, so that a substance 'placed between the followerand the press-bottom can be exposed to an ever-increasing power during acertain period of time, as will be hereinafter To enable those skilledin the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describeit.

A represents a frame constructed of timber, with four upright standards,a, which are connected by cross-bars b, and which form the guides forthe follower B of the press. f

C represents the press-bottom, which is rigidly attached to the frame A.The follower B is connected to a vertical rack, D,which is toothed onboth sides, and which meshes into two pinions, E E', which are mountedon horizontal axles c c, and these two axles communicate with each otherby means of gear-wheels d d', the` wheel d being secured to the axle cand gearing into the wheel d on the axle c', so that the motion from oneof these axles is communicated to the other. Both of these axles haveone of their bearings on a separate framing, F, and the axle c extendsbeyond this framing, and a large cog-wheel, G, is secured on the same,which gears into a pinion, H, which is mounted on an axle, c, andsecured on this axle is the scroll or fusee, I, which isarranged in thesame manner as a fusee of a watch, having a helical groove running fromits circumference down to its center; and secured to its circumferenceis a rope, f, which extends to a windlass, J, which is mounted on aseparate frame, K, and which is operated by means of gear-wheels g g;and a ratchet-wheel, h, is attached to the axle of the windlass, whichengages with a pawl, j, in such a manner that it allows the windlassturning in the direction of arrow 1, but it prevents it turning in theother direction. The pinion H is so arranged on the axle e that alongitudinal sliding motion can be given to it, so that it can bebrought in gear or out of gear with the cog-wheel G.

Suspended from the rope f, between the windlass J and the scroll I, bymeans of a roller, K, is a weight, L, which can be wound up by thewindlass J.

The operation is as follows: The scroll ll is filled with rope from thewindlass by turning it in the direction of arrow 2, and during thisoperation the pinion H is thrown out of gear with the cog-wheel G, sothat the scroll can be turned independent from the other machinery, andthe follower B is raised by turning the cog-wheel G in the direction ofarrow 3. The substance to be Vpressed--such as lard placed in bags orwrapped up in clothis now put on the press-bottom, and the space betweenthe same and the follower is filled up, and the weight being attached tothe. rope f, the pinion H is thrown in gear with the cogwheel G. By theaction of the weight the scroll begins to turn in the direction of arrow4, and motion is imparted to the cog-wheel G in the direction of arrow5, whereby the follower B is depressed. The pressure exerted on thesubstance under the follower is consider bly increased by the proportionexisting, between the diameters of the scroll, the pinion H, thecog-wheel G, and the pinions E E', and, as the work progresses thediameter -of the scroll increases, and the pressure exerted on thesubstance under the follower becomes larger and larger as the followerdescends 5 and if it is found necessary to increase the power stillfurther, slipweights Z are added to the weight L, so that any amount ofpower can be brought to bear on the substance under the follower.

press is self-acting, the wei ght exerting a pressure on the follower aslong as some of the rope is left on the scroll, so that the substanceun- It must be remarked that this` l der the follower can be exposed toa powerful and a long-continuing progressive pressure Without anyattendance to the press. After the pressing is finished, the follower israised v by turningal the cog-Wheel Gr in the direction of i LettersPatent, is-

The arrangement of the windlass J, the weightv L, the scroll jI, and thepinion H to operate in combination with the cog-Wheel G, the pinions Eand E', the double rack D, and

- the follower B, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WM. SKENE.

A ROBT. SKENE.

Witnesses:

H. CLAY ANDERsoN, DAVID REID.

